Adjustable restraining means



' Nov. 2.1, 1967 R. c. SNYDER ETAL ADJUSTABLE RESTRAINING MEANS 4 Sheets-Sheet l Filed Dec. 13, 1965 Jui /NvE/vroRs l RICHARD c. SNYDER MARv//v STARK BY mgm@ ATTY Nov. 21, 1967 v R. C. SNYDEVR ETAL ADJUSTABLE RESTRAINING MEANS Filed Dec. 13, 1965 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 MARv/N STARK ATT'Y R. c. sNYDER ETAL 3,353,506

ADJUSTABLE R-ESTRAINING MEANS 13, 1965 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 In .Plum

MARVIN STARK Nov.21,1967 l Filed Dec.

O Om Iwwlmlmll NOV. 21, 196.7 R c SINYDER ETAL 3,353,506

ADJUSTABLE RESTRAINING MEANS Filed Dec, 15,. 1965 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 RICHARD C. S N YDER MA RV/N S TARK United States Patent 3,353,506 ADJUSTABLE RESTRAINING MEANS Richard C. Snyder and Marvin Stark, Michigan City, Ind.,

assignors to Pullman Incorporated, Chicago, Ill., a corporation of Delaware Filed Dec. 13, 1965, Ser. No. 513,443 9 Claims. (Cl. 10S-369) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE An adjustable coil restraining cross bar mountable on a railway car, said cross -bar comprising a fixed reaction member and a movable lading restraining member reciprocably mounted thereon, guided biasing means guided in opposing the outward movement of the restraining member, wedging means between the members providing motion translation therebetween for moving the restraining member outwardly of the reaction member into lading engaging position, the longitudinal axis of the wedging means extending generally parallel to the longitudinal axis of the lading restraining means.

This invention relates to an adjustable restraining structure and in particular relates to an adjustable coil restraining cross-bar means for a coil car.

Objects having an annular or curved or arcuate contour such as steel coils are carried on railroad car constructions adapted for such transportation. In order to insure against damage to the coil lading in transit the coils Imust be tied down on the railway car by such means as chains extending over the coils or the like.

It is therefore a general object of this invention to provide a novel adjustable restraining structure that is readily adaptable to railway coil carrying cars.

Another object of this invention is to provide for a novel cross-bar means to restrain a curved contour or arcuate object from moving longitudinally on the car.

A further object of this invention is to provide a crossbar means which is slidable longitudinally and transversely of the railroad car providing for longitudinal adjustment of the cross-bar means against the curved object or load.

Still another object of this invention is to provide for an adjustable coil restraining cross-bar means for a coil carrying railroad car.

Another object of this invention is to provide means for securing the adjustable coil restraining cross-bar means to the coil carrying railroad car to prevent accidental misplacement or loss of the adjustable coil restraining cross-bar means.

These and other objects will become apparent from reference to the following description and accompanying drawings.

In the drawings:

FIG. l is a plan view of a vehicle designed to carry curved or polygonal shaped objects with the novel crossbar means located thereon;

FIG. 2 is a side elevation of the vehicle.

FIG. 3 is a cross sectional view taken along line 3-3 of FIGURE 2;

FIG. 4 is a plan View partly in section showing the novel adjustable restraining cross-bar means;

FIG. 5 is an elevational view of the cross-bar means;

FIG. 6 is a view taken along line 6 6 of FIGURE 5;

FIG. 7 is a sectional View taken along line 7 7 of FIGURE 5;

FIG. 8 is a sectional view taken along line 8 8 of FIGURE 5;

FIG. 9 is a perspective view of the adjustable coil restraining means or cross-bar structure shown in FIG- URES 4 and 5;

ICC

FIG. 10 is a sectional view of the end of the vehicle as seen in FIGURE 2; and

FIG. l1 is a sectional View of the center of the vehicle as seen in FIGURE 2.

With reference now to the drawings and in particular to FIGURES l through 3 there is shown by reference numeral 1t) a railroad car divided into separate lading areas 11 and 12 by the transverse central panel 13, the areas 11 and 12 being dened by identical end sill constructions 14 and 15 joined by top plates 17, 17 supporting bulkheads 17, 18. The members 17, 17 are provided with plate members 19, 19 and the end walls 18, 18 are backed up by gusset plates 20, 20. The sides of the lading areas are defined by members 21, 22, 24 and 25 separated by plates 23, 26. As best seen in FIGURE 2 stationary central sill 30 forms the underframe of the car and contains a sliding sill 31 with ends 32 and 33. The car then has wheel trucks 34 and 35 and longitudinally extending side sills 36 and 37 having skirt 38, 39 respectively serving to increase the strength of the car, at the truck cross-holsters. The stationary sill 30 (as seen in FIGURE 3) has side webs 42 and 43 connected by a top cover plate 44 connecting with side floor sheets 46, 47. The sill members 42 and 43 connect with the cross ties 54 and 56 by way of reinforcing members 59 and 60, the sill construction and Vcross-ties being provided with conventional web structures 58. The sloping sides of the truncated V-shaped trough 48 are lined with planks 61 supported and bolted on cleat members 62 to members 46, 47 by bolts 47a and dene the lading cradle. Coils of a certain diameter such as shown by numeral 62a or 62b are supported in these cradled lading areas and enclosed by an outer cover 62C (shown partially and dotted in FIGURE 2).

An adjustable load restraining means in the form of a pair of cross-bar structures 63, 63 extend transverse of the car on opposite sides of the coil lading in order to prevent longitudinal shifting movement thereof, (see FIGURES l and 2) each cross-bar structure 63 being disposed over the cradle area as shown in FIGURE 3. It will be appreciated that any number of cross-bar structures 63 may be utilized in one or the other or both of the lading bays or areas 11, 12. The cross-bar structure 63 comprises a lixed unit 65 and a movable unit 66. (See FIGURES 4, 5 and 8.) The tixed unit 65 which lies transversely of the car over the lading well area comprises an integral H-beam structure 67 having a transverse web section 68 and a pair of upright end flange members 69 and 70 defining upper and lower U-shaped channel members 71 and 72 reinforced by a plurality of webs 73 extending longitudinally of the cross member and transversely of the car. At each end of the H-beam the web 68 and the lower portions 72, 72 of the lower U-shaped portion of beam 67 extend outwardly and beyond the upper legs 71, 71 of the upper U-shaped portion of beam 67, each extension 68a being provided with a plurality of four staggered openings 74 in the end web portion of web 68 receiving a pair of bolts 74a, 74a in one of two longitudinally arrayed set of said openings. Angle iron clamp 75 is welded to the end of each end web extension 68a by its Vertical flange portion 75a and its horizontal flange portion 75b extends undernearth the lower U-shaped extension 68 and is provided with a plurality of four complemental openings disposed in vertical alignment with the openings 75c in the end of web 68, the lower llange dening with the end section an opening or receptacle area for each ange extension of the member 21 or 22 (see FIGURES 1, 2 and 3).

The movable member 66 of the cross-bar structure 63 is spring mounted on the fixed member 65 by means of spring return rods 76 extending through openings 77 in the sides of upper and lower ilange portions 71, 72 by the engaging of springs '78 surrounding the rods 76 and engaging the rod head 76a and side wall or flange with the other end 76b of the rod 76 being welded to the channel plate 79 of the movable member 66. The movable member 66 is defined by the plate 79 and top and bottom cover plates 8G and 81 partially surrounding the fixed member 65, the channel plate 79 being vertically disposed for enga-gement with the lading 62a or 62h. The top plate 80 and bottom plate 81 extend over only the wall 69 of member 67 of the fixed member 65 and define with the flange wall 69 a drive screw housing 82 extending longitudinally of the cross-bar means 63. Retainer end plates 83, 83 (see FIGURES 6, 8 and 9) fixed to the flange 69 of the fixed member 65, each retainer plate being provided with apertured journals 84 for receiving a drive screw assembly 85 (see FEGURES 7 and 9) being provided with a collar fixed to the end plate movement of the drive screw assembly 85 axially of the cross-bar structure 63. The drive screw assembly 85 being supported in said journals 84 comprises an outer drive screw collar S6 fixed on the end of a drive screw or threaded shaft 87 by means of a pin, the drive screw 87 being readily received in threaded coupling tube 9) and supported by trunnion 91 welded to the flange 69, the other end of the tube 90 threadingly receiving the other drive screw or threaded shaft 92, the drive screw 92 being supported in journal 93 welded to the flange 69 and mounted in its associated journal 84. The terminal end 94 of the screw 92 being held in handle retainer or collar 95 being apertured to receive handle 96 held thereto. A pair of spaced stationary trapezoidal wedged elements 98 are fixedly mounted on the inner surface 99 of channel plate 79 and each has a downwardly outwardly sloping surface 100 for complementary sliding engagement with a surface 101 of an associated movable wedge block 102 threadingly mounted on a respective drive screw 87 or 92. Each movable wedge 102 engages with a wear guide plate 103 fixedly mounted on flange 69.

The movable member 66 and the fixed member 65 are provided with four guide means 104 each comprising an angle iron plate 105 (see FIGURE 8) having plate sections 1tl5a and lflSb, the section 105a being mounted on the flange 69 of the fixed member 65, slot 166 in plate section 1051), a bolt 107 extending through the slot 106, a spacer 168 and a washer 169 and a nut 110 being around the bolt, and a longitudinally extending slot 111 in plate 80 of the movable member of 66, the spacer 108 allowing for relative movement between members 65 and 66. This arrangement of the guide means 104 permits the movable member 66 to be guided longitudinally of a car with respect to the fixed member 65, the return springs 78 urging the spacer 108 to seat in the corner 112 of the slot 111. Removal of each of the cross-bar means 63 is prevented from the coil car 10 by blocking elements 113 and 114 (see FIGURES 10 and ll). The cross-bar means 63 are placed on the car 10 by way of slots 115 in members 21 and 22 or 24 and 25 and then element 113 is attached by removable bolt means 114a to members 21, 22, 23 and 25. Optionally element 113 may be permanently attached by welding. Blocking element 114 is permanently attached to the car. Such arrangement prevents accidental loss of the cross-bar means 63 since the blocking elements 113 and 114 prevent removal of the cross-bar means 63 from either end of the lading areas 61 with there only being sufficient space between the parts 75 and 72 of the member 65 and members 21, 22, 23 or 2S to allow only for longitudinal movement of the cross-bar means 63.

Upon a consideration of the foregoing, it will become obvious to those skilled in the art that various modifications may be made without departing from the invention embodied herein, therefore, only such limitations should be imposed as are indicated by the sphere and scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. Adjustable lading restraining means for a railway lading carrying car comprising: a fixed cross member having a pair of opposed upright outer flanges in reinforcing relationship with an interconnecting horizontal web, a movable cross member being provided with a pair of legs extending over one of the flanges and in general parallel relation with the web, a lading engaging retainer element, said legs being interconnected by said retainer element and said element carrying rod means resiliently coupled with said one flange, and fixed wedging elements housed by and mounted on said retainer element, a pair of movable wedging elements having sliding engagement with said fixed wedging elements, the longitudinal axis of the wedging elements extending generally parallel to the longitudinal axis of the lading retainer element, said rod means biasingly holding said retaining element against said fixed cross member by way of said wedging elements to keep a bearing on the lading and to transmit loads to the cross member, means connecting with said movable wedging elements for moving same and carried in journals on the fixed member in extending said movable member outwardly of said fixed member for engagement in movement lading restraining relation, and extensions on the other flange of said fixed member for coupling of same to the railway car.

2. The invention according to claim 1 and said fixed member including a plurality of staggered apertures in the extensions and means extendible therethrough for coupling with the railway car, said staggered apertures providing for longitudinal and transverse incremental alignment of the extensions in coupling relation with the railway car.

3. The invention according to claim 1 and interconnecting guide means coupling one of the movable legs with one flange and having means constraining axial movement of the fixed member relative to movable member.

4. Adjustable lading restraining means adapted for coupling with a lading carrying railway car comprising a reaction member adapted for fixed relation with the car, a lading restraining member at least partially encircling the reaction member and having an inner surface dening a housing with the reaction member and having an outer lading engaging surface, wedging means fixed on the inner surface, motion translating means carried by the reac- Y tion member and having second wedging means within the housing in complemental relative slidable engagement with the wedging means for moving the lading engaging surface of the reaction member, and guided biasing means mounted on the restraining member and guided in opposing outward movement of said lading engaging surface, the longitudinal axis of the wedging means extending generally parallel to the longitudinal axis of the lading restraining member, said biasing means biasingly holding said restraining member against said fixed reaction member by way of said wedging means to keep a bearing on the lading and to transmit loads to the reaction member.

5. The invention according to claim 4 and railroad coupling means provided at the extremities of the reaction member and including a plurality of staggered apertures provided for longitudinal and transverse adjusting movement of the lading restraining means for coupling with complementary openings in the railway car and fastening means for lockingly registering the apertures of the restraining means and the ca'r.

6. The invention according to claim 4 and guide means locating the restraining member in fixed axial position with respect to the reaction member for transverse reciprocating motion with respect thereto.

7. The combination of a railway lading carrying car and lading restraining means therefor comprising a railroad car having opposed side flange means defining longitudinal guide tracks for the lading restraining means, said adjustable lading restraining means including a fixed reaction member and a movable lading restraining member, motion translating means disposed between the restraining member and the reaction member and urging the restraining member outwardly of the reaction member, guided biasing means guided in opposing the outward movement of the restraining means, the longitudinal axis of the motion translating means extending generally parallel to the longitudinal axis of the movable lading restraining member, said biasing means biasingly holding said restraining member against said reaction member by way of said motion translating means to keep a bearing on the lading and to transmit loads to the reaction member, means provided for the attachment of the reaction member to the car tracks and means carried by the tracks for constraining the reaction member in longitudial movement within limits along the tracks and preventing removal of the lading restraining means from the car.

8. An adjustable coil restraining means adapted for coupling to a lading carrying railway car comprising a reaction member provided with attachment means for the railway car and a lading restraining member being reciprocally mounted on the reaction member and adapted for engagement with a lading on the railway car, guided biasing means guided in opposing the outward movement of the restraining member, means providing for motion translation between the members in moving the restraining member outwardly of the reaction member in tight engagement with the lading, the longitudinal axis 0f the means providing for motion translation extending generally parallel to the longitudinal axis of the lading restraining member, said biasing means biasingly holding said restraining member against said reaction member by way of said means providing for motion translation to keep a bearing on the lading and to transmit loads to the reaction member.

9. The invention according to claim 8 and said motion translating means comprising wedging means mounted on the restraining member, further wedging means mounted on the reaction member, drive means carried by one of the members and having means for axially sliding one of the wedge means relative to the other in expanding said restraining means for wedging engagement with the lading, said motion translating means converting movement of the restraining member in a direction at right angles to the movement direction of the wedging means.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 5/1956 Brown et al. 105-369 2/1959 Schey et al. 105-369 12/1963 Cisco 10S-376 3/1967 Chapman et al. 10S-369 25 ARTHUR L. LA POINT, Primary Examiner.

DRAYTON E. HOFFMAN, Examiner. 

8. AN ADJUSTABLE COIL RESTRAINING MEANS ADAPTED FOR COUPLING TO A LADING CARRYING RAILWAY CAR COMPRISING A REACTION MEMBER PROVIDED WITH ATTACHMENT MEANS FOR THE RAILWAY CAR AND A LADING RESTRAINING MEMBER BEING RECIPROCALLY MOUNTED ON THE REACTION MEMBER AND ADAPTED FOR ENGAGEMENT WITH A LADING ON THE RAILWAY CAR, GUIDED BIASING MEANS GUIDED IN OPPOSING THE OUTWARD MOVEMENT OF THE RESTRAINING MEMBER, MEANS PROVIDING FOR MOTION TRANSLATION BETWEEN THE MEMBERS IN MOVING THE RESTRAINING MEMBER OUTWARDLY OF THE REACTION MEMBER IN TIGHT ENGAGEMENT WITH THE LADING, THE LONGITUDINAL AXIS OF THE MEANS PROVIDING FOR MOTION TRANSLATION EXTENDING GENERALLY PARALLEL TO THE LONGITUDINAL AXIS OF THE LADING RESTRAINING MEMBER, SAID BIASING MEANS BIASINGLY HOLDING SAID RESTRAINING MEMBER AGAINST SAID REACTION MEMBER BY WAY OF SAID MEANS PROVIDING FOR MOTION TRANSLATION TO KEEP A BEARING ON THE LADING AND TO TRANSMIT LOADS TO THE REACTION MEMBER. 